2013 finals flashback

A good friend of mine Angela, wrote an article 4 months ago, a month before the PBA and NBA finals even began, and as I look back I realized that all her predictions actually happened, and I just wanted to share her article for people to see, because it actually deserves to be shared to wandering minds out there. So here it is...

BASKETBALL FRENZY: An inside look into the PBA and NBA scene

By Angela Louise Pel

American writer John Edgar Wideman once said “When it’s played the way it’s supposed to be played, basketball happens in the air; flying, floating, elevated above the floor, levitating the way oppressed peoples of this earth imagine themselves in their dreams.” Basketball is indeed exciting and exhilarating whether you are playing or simply watching it on Television or by the stands cheering with the crowd.

There may be a lot of basketball associations across the globe, but surely for the Filipinos the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) are the two leagues that stand out.

This season of 2012-2013, nothing can beat the heat of the basketball athletes in both NBA and PBA.  PBA celebrated their 38^th season, while NBA celebrated their 67^th season. Every time of the year, these two associations bring the best out of every player. This is the time where the basketball teams show their fullest potential to reach the championship spot.

The PBA

The PBA uses a three conference system. It started with the Philippine Cup that started on September 30, 2012 and ended on January 26, 2013. In this conference, they do not allow any foreign players to join the game. Ten teams compete from elimination rounds up to finals. 

Ranidel de Ocampo, who is a currently player of Talk N’ Text, was awarded as the MVP during the Philippine Cup. Now the Philippine Cup is all wrapped up, the Commissioners Cup is now in progress. In Commissioners Cup the team participating are expected to have an import or a foreign player. The latest conference for the PBA is about to end with the start of the finals showdown between the Alaska Aces and the Ginebra Gin Kings. 

The Alaska team has been on top since the start of the conference credited to great performances of its players.  On the other hand, Ginebra has struggled in the early games and had to survive pulsating do or die games to reach the finals.  The finals is expected to go down the wire with both teams desperately longing to catch the most coveted crown and title which have eluded them for the past years.  Tickets for the finals are almost sold out and the “Gatas Republic” and the “Barangay Ginebra” fans to include avid PBA supporters are also expected to occupy the whole coliseum each and every scheduled game.

The NBA started a little later on October 30, 2012 and the playoffs have just begun on 30^th of April this year. During the regular season, there was an episode where first time in the history of NBA that the earliest head coach firing happened. 

Numerous players and coaches were awarded; Lebron James of Miami Heat was awarded as the most valuable player, Mark Gasol of Memphis as defensive player of the year, and George Carl of Denver Nuggets was awarded as coach of the year. There may be a lot of blissful events, but numerous people sympathized for Kobe Bryant who couldn’t play for at least 6 months after he tore his Achilles tendon.

But this is not the reason for Los Angeles Lakers to not compete; they will still continue to fight. For the NBA, it’s still a long way to go before the finals.  During the playoffs, we have seen some of the more favored teams collapsed and beaten. The second round of the playoffs is becoming more interesting with the considered underdogs performing at par or even better than the usual favorites.  The Golden State Warriors are about to make history now that they are tied with the San Antonio Spurs.  The team has made a great leap from their previous records. 

The Indiana Pacers is back to reclaim old glory by taking the 3-1 advantage over the New York Knicks.  The Memphis Grizzlies is determined to take revenge over the Oklahoma Thunders that eliminated them early in the last conference.  The Grizzlies are also enjoying a 3-1 edge over the Thunders.  Last but not the least, the Miami Heat which is expected to repeat their last conference’s triumph and take consecutive championship titles, are also more focused than the Chicago Bulls which does not only missed its key players but has been on disarray the past games.  The Bulls are down 1-3 and are on the verge of elimination if they continuously lose control.

            Whether it’s the PBA or NBA, both of them deliver true and worthy hard court action which never fails to bring enjoyment to viewers. One can never know what would happen and which team would is bound to win, the court is rectangular and the balls are round. Whatever happens basketball should not be taken for granted it bring a lot more, it isn’t just for fun it’s, it’s like an unnamed kind of electricity, something you feel much more from within.